CPU Comparison

The Intel Xeon E-2374G and the Intel Xeon D-1581 are both active server/workstation processors from Intel, but they approach their workloads from opposite ends of the design spectrum. The E-2374G is a modern, high-frequency Rocket Lake-E part aimed at low-latency, responsiveness-sensitive tasks, while the D-1581 is a legacy 16-core Broadwell-DE SoC designed for dense, power-conscious deployments. The benchmark data shows a remarkably consistent, albeit narrow, victory for the E-2374G across every single Cinebench test, from R15 to R23, in both single-core and multi-core workloads. The E-2374G edges out the D-1581 by margins of 1.2% to 1.4% in every discipline, making it the outright performance winner with a 6-0 sweep in head-to-head comparisons. However, the data also reveals the D-1581’s competitive positioning; despite having four times the cores and threads, its significantly lower clock speeds allow the 4-core E-2374G to maintain a slight lead. Therefore, the verdict is nuanced: the E-2374G is the pick for tasks where raw speed per thread and modern platform features are paramount, while the D-1581 remains a viable choice for passive, high-core-count throughput in constrained environments, though the data shows it loses every benchmark here.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the Cinebench scores, the Intel Xeon E-2374G is the superior processor. It wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with its largest advantage being a 1.4% lead in Cinebench R20 single-core (672 vs 663). The data indicates that the E-2374G’s massive clock speed advantage, boosting to 5.00 GHz compared to the D-1581’s 2.40 GHz, overcomes the D-1581’s 16-core/32-thread count versus the E-2374G’s 4-core/8-thread configuration. The percentile rankings are identical at 53 for both, placing them in the same performance tier overall, but the E-2374G holds a higher average benchmark score of 3278 versus 3238 for the D-1581.

The E-2374G is the choice for users needing the fastest possible response in lightly-threaded applications or where single-thread performance is critical, as evidenced by its consistent single-core wins. It also offers a more modern feature set with PCIe Gen 4 and integrated UHD Graphics P750, alongside a launch MSRP of $334. The D-1581, conversely, is not a performance winner in any benchmark tested. Its strengths lie in its 65W TDP (lower than the E-2374G’s 80W) and its 16-core/32-thread configuration, which suggests it is designed for high-throughput, parallel workloads that may not be fully captured by Cinebench’s scaling. However, since the D-1581 loses every multi-core test, the data does not support choosing it for raw multi-threaded performance over the E-2374G.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are separated by five years of architecture evolution and fundamentally different design philosophies. The E-2374G is based on the Rocket Lake architecture (codename Rocket Lake-E) and is part of the Xeon E-2300 series, built on Intel’s 14 nm process node with a die size of 276 mm². It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, alongside an 8 MB shared L3 cache. It utilizes the Intel Socket 1200 platform and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The E-2374G also includes PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only) and an integrated UHD Graphics P750, making it a more complete, standalone package.

In contrast, the D-1581 is a much older Broadwell architecture part (codename Broadwell-DE), released in 2016, also on a 14 nm node but with a die size of 246 mm² and 3,200 million transistors. It is a 16-core, 32-thread processor with a base clock of 1800.00 MHz and a boost clock of 2.40 GHz, the base clock in the data is listed as 1800.00, which is clearly a placeholder for 1.80 GHz. Its cache is divided differently: 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, with 1.5 MB of L3 per core, totaling 24 MB. It supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, and it is mounted on a BGA 1667 socket, indicating a soldered, embedded-style design. The D-1581 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 24 lanes (CPU only) but has no integrated graphics. Both processors support ECC memory and are not multiplier-unlocked.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are strikingly uniform. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the E-2374G scores 1142 against the D-1581’s 1128, a 1.2% difference. The R15 single-core test shows a 1.3% edge for the E-2374G (161 vs 159). Moving to Cinebench R20, the E-2374G again takes the multicore crown with 4760 versus 4702, another 1.2% lead, and extends its single-core advantage to 1.4% (672 vs 663). The R23 results mirror this trend: the E-2374G posts 11335 in multicore versus 11197 for the D-1581 (1.2% delta), and 1600 in single-core versus 1580 (1.3% delta). The largest margin of victory for the E-2374G is the 1.4% in R20 single-core, while the smallest is the 1.2% seen in all three multicore tests and R15 single-core.

The most remarkable finding is that the D-1581, with four times the cores and threads, cannot outperform the E-2374G in any multi-threaded workload. The E-2374G’s 5.00 GHz boost clock provides a per-core throughput that, when scaled across its 4 cores, produces a score marginally higher than the D-1581’s 16 cores running at a maximum 2.40 GHz. This indicates that Cinebench’s scaling is not linear with core count at these clock differentials, and the older Broadwell architecture’s lower IPC and clock speed cap its multi-core ceiling. The E-2374G’s wins are consistent and narrow, suggesting a close overall performance envelope but a definitive advantage for the newer, faster clocked part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Xeon E-2374G wins every single-core test. It leads by 1.3% in Cinebench R15 (161 vs 159), 1.4% in R20 (672 vs 663), and 1.3% in R23 (1600 vs 1580).

Q: Does the 16-core Xeon D-1581 beat the 4-core E-2374G in multi-core workloads?

A: No. Despite having 16 cores and 32 threads versus 4 cores and 8 threads, the D-1581 loses all three multi-core Cinebench tests by 1.2% each: R15 (1128 vs 1142), R20 (4702 vs 4760), and R23 (11197 vs 11335).

Q: What is the performance delta between the two in the closest benchmark?

A: The closest benchmark is Cinebench R15 multicore, where the E-2374G wins by just 14 points (1142 vs 1128), a 1.2% difference. The largest margin is also the smallest in absolute terms: 9 points in R20 single-core (672 vs 663), representing a 1.4% lead for the E-2374G.

Q: Are these processors ranked similarly among all CPUs?

A: Yes, both the E-2374G and the D-1581 have an identical percentile ranking of 53 against all CPUs. However, the E-2374G has a higher average benchmark score of 3278 compared to the D-1581’s 3238.

Q: Do these processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E-2374G and the Intel Xeon D-1581 support ECC memory, making them suitable for server and workstation environments where data integrity is critical.

Q: Which processor offers integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Xeon E-2374G includes integrated graphics, specifically the UHD Graphics P750. The Intel Xeon D-1581 has no integrated graphics unit listed.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Xeon E-2374G: The E-2374G wins on every performance metric in the dataset. It is the clear choice for single-threaded and lightly-threaded applications where the 5.00 GHz boost clock provides a decisive edge. Its consistent 1.3% to 1.4% single-core victories make it ideal for database servers, web front-ends, and latency-sensitive financial transactions that rely on fast per-core response. It also wins in multi-core scenarios, matching the D-1581’s throughput despite having only a quarter of the cores, which suggests its architecture is more efficient for Cinebench-style workloads. The E-2374G also offers a more modern platform with PCIe Gen 4 (20 lanes) and integrated UHD Graphics P750, eliminating the need for a discrete GPU in basic display tasks. With a launch MSRP of $334, it provides a high-frequency, feature-rich option on the Intel Socket 1200 platform.

Intel Xeon D-1581: The D-1581 does not win any benchmark in this comparison, but its profile suggests specific use cases. Its 16 cores and 32 threads, combined with a 65W TDP, make it suited for high-density, power-constrained environments like network appliances, edge computing, and storage controllers where raw multi-core throughput matters more than single-thread speed. The data shows it is competitive, trailing by only 1.2% in multi-core tests, meaning it delivers near-parallel performance to the E-2374G in such workloads while drawing less power (65W vs 80W). Its support for both DDR3 and DDR4 memory and PCIe Gen 3 with 24 lanes offers flexibility in legacy or embedded system designs. It is a BGA 1667 socket processor, indicating a soldered, low-profile integration ideal for custom, space-constrained hardware. While it loses every Cinebench contest, its architecture is tailored for sustained, high-core-count throughput in a thermal envelope that the E-2374G cannot match.